Chapter 99: The Bargain with the Ghost
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After a lingering period of quietude, punctuated only by an unsettling calm, the sudden and unexpected sound of footsteps bore an undeniable significance. This was a significance that Miles, with his intimate knowledge of the supernatural realm, understood all too well.
Miles felt a compulsion to glimpse outside of his hideaway, yearning to determine the nature and identity of the entity lurking beyond his concealed spot. Was it the dreaded ghost he had been so fearful of? Yet, the potential dangers that came with such a move were too great. He found himself paralyzed, torn between his curiosity and his instinct for self-preservation.
It wasn’t that Miles feared any and all apparitions. He wasn’t unnerved by tales of the headless ghost or the spine-chilling ghost slaves rumored to haunt the village. Instead, his dread was reserved for one entity in particular: a notorious ghost known for its relentless vengeance, so fearsome that even those trained to subdue them weren’t safe from its wrath. The true nature of this ghost remained shrouded in mystery. No living person had ever claimed to have seen it, a fact that only intensified its legend. Those unfortunate enough to cross its path likely never lived to tell the tale. Most of what was “known” about this malevolent spirit was deduced from the tragic fates of three ghost tamers.
“As it stands, I am isolated,” Miles thought, his mind racing. “From what I’ve pieced together, my very presence here seems to have upset some delicate balance within the village. And now, that unforgiving spirit is likely hunting ghost tamers. Every single individual that has ever been marked by this spirit has met a cruel end.”
The sound of the approaching footsteps weighed heavily on his mind. “Is it possible? Could these steps be from that very ghost, in search of its next victim?” Anxiety surged through him, sending a cold shudder down his spine.
His chosen hiding spot was a body bag, inconspicuously placed in an overgrown, weed-infested area. To most, it would blend seamlessly into the background, but Miles knew that ghosts might perceive the world differently. What if this notorious entity had abilities beyond the ordinary, a way to detect him? Every second he spent there felt like a risky gamble, with his life hanging in the balance.
Soon, the footsteps grew even louder, drawing perilously close. By his estimation, the entity was now a mere three meters away. Almost right next to him.
“There’s only these footsteps. In that case, it’s either the vengeful spirit or perhaps the headless one that I set free. My gut tells me it’s more likely the former,” Miles silently reasoned, doing his utmost to remain undetectable.